Trying Not to Add the Additives
Over 14,000 Chemicals are added to the American food supply. Human bodies were not meant to be exposed to the chemicals in food additives. Additives can also be categorized as preservatives. Salt, sugar and vinegar were among the first used to preserve food. Most food additives are considered safe. However, some are known to be carcinogenic or toxic. Hyperactivity in children, allergies, asthma, and migranes are often associated with reactions to food additives.
Acesulfame K is an additive used as a sugar substitute. Some testing has shown that this additve can cause cancer in animals, which therefore, may increase cancer in humans. Artificial colorings, which are synthetic dyes used in foods are also suspected of being toxic or carcinogens. Another additive, potassium bromate, is used to increase the volume of bread and to produce bread with a fine crumb structure. Bromate itself causes cancer in animals and has been banned almost worldwide. Sulfites, another additive, are a class of chemicals that can keep cut fruits and vegetables looking fresh. Six scientific studies have been found proving that sulfites could provoke sometimes severe allergic reactions. CSPI and the Food and Drug Administration identified at least a dozen fatalities linked to sulfites. All of the deaths occurred among asthmatics.
In conclusion I believe that the use of additives is a complicated subject. In the case of additives that are harmful to humans and animals, I believe that they should be banned until there is a non harmful way to use them. In the case of food additives that have no solid proof of being harmful or have had studies proving such, I believe that they shouldn’t be banned and should continue to be used by Americans in the food making and preserving process.
http://www.cspinet.org/reports/chemcuisine.html
March 18th, 2009 at 8:04 am
Joel,
I think you did a fairly good job on your essay. You explained things pretty well and I could understand most of your facts. One thing I would suggest for next time is to explain the pros more. You kind of stuck to talking about all of the cons about food additives and never gave any reasons to why they could be good in foods until the very end of your essay. So, how are additives bad for your food? Over all though, good job!
March 24th, 2009 at 11:49 am
I really like that you showed all of the bad things about food additives, but on the other hand you really did tell of the many good things. Good job but try to tell both sides next time.
March 27th, 2009 at 7:27 am
Thank you both for taking the time to comment my article. After I reread my article I would have to agree with the points that you both have made. I should have focused less on the cons. I also should have made the focus on pros and cons somewhat even so I didn’t focus on one more that the other. In conclusion I’d like to thank you again for the comments.
March 30th, 2009 at 7:45 am
You did a good job on showing all sides of the story. I agree about banning the bad additives. I think that the ones that we don’t know about we should do studies to get proof that they don’t harm us before we use them. Good Job.
March 31st, 2009 at 10:14 am
What are the benefits of food additives? They have to be beneficial in some way or why use them?